


The Last Leaf Falls

by Redwithwhiteeyes



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Death, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parallel Universes, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-11
Updated: 2014-02-12
Packaged: 2017-12-29 03:31:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1000361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redwithwhiteeyes/pseuds/Redwithwhiteeyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An accident sends Shizuo to a parallel Ikkebukuro; one that is different to the one he knows, due to a simple tragic divergence. An event, which led to a certain informant seeking something he forever thought unattainable. (Eventual Shizaya, rating may MAY rise) Currently rated T for Language.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter-I

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first foray into the DRRR! Fandom and my first yaoi fanfic, though it is not the first fic that I have ever written (it is my second). 
> 
> Thus, I apologise in advance if either Shizuo or Izaya are OOC.

Two senior high school students… one a brutish blonde who hates violence and the other a sly brunette who welcomes it.

Unsurprisingly, they both hate each other.

The brunette knows that the blonde is easy to anger; all he needs is a few words or the easy flick of a switchblade and he can have all the fun that he wants.

The blonde wishes to crush the brunette; but he knows that no matter how many vending machines he throws, the brunette will always be just out of range.

Usually when they fight, all it ends in is a few minor (sometimes serious) injuries and a mutual promise for a future battle.

But…

One day in spring, it begins as it always does. With a coy taunt and a gruff shout; the almost daily chase between them starts.

Except this time…

One of them will die.

* * *

 

Ducking, Izaya chuckled as he narrowly avoided a twisted street lamp that had been directly aimed at his head.

Twisting his neck as he swiftly rounded a corner; he stole a quick glance at his pursuer, who despite all his efforts had started to catch up to him.

"IZZAAAYAAAA" The enraged cry echoed throughout Ikkebukuro.

"Who would have thought that something as small as a fake love note could rile up Shizu-chan so much" Izaya yelled in turn.

Dodging a large trashcan, he took a deep breath and surged forward.

Noticing that there was a growing crowd of tourists (which must have unwisely congregated because of the ruckus) ahead on the street; Izaya smirked as he reached the throng.

After he had shoved his way through the chatting horde; he stopped on the other side and looked back the way he had come.

A loud threatening roar followed by a barreling figure caused the tourists to suddenly scatter and throw themselves aside to save their own lives.

* * *

In the trailing dust, Shizuo Heiwaijima stood huffing and glaring straight into the eyes of Izaya Orihara. His shirt was torn and his chest was streaked with blood from several shallow cuts that Izaya had managed to mark him with.

"Damn you flea" Shizuo breathed shallowly. "For messing with me…"

"Ahh, Did Shizu-chan really think that a girl –any girl- would really fall for such a monster as him?" Izaya laughed before he flashed a mocking smile at Shizuo.

Izaya took a few steps towards his enemy; then he clasped his hand his hands together and began to speak in a high-pitched syrupy voice. "Dear Heiwaijima-san, you are sooo hot. I have nursed a crush on you ever since I first saw you and even if you are easy to anger, I believe that a relationship between us could work. Please meet me by the gates after school has finished, so that I can gaze into your wonderful golden eyes and declare my undying love." Izaya's tone became normal. "That's what the note said, right Shizu-chan? It must have been such a stunning surprise for you to arrive at the rendezvous and see me making eyes at you".

"Fuck you…I knew that you had written it the moment I saw you smirking and batting your eyelids at me" Shizuo growled and he bowed his head "I was such a stupid idiot for even thinking that it was real… well now I'm going to snap your skinny little neck and kill you "he levelled his gaze and he started to amble threateningly towards Izaya.

Slowly backtracking from Shizuo, Izaya suddenly spoke with aloof excitement "Ne, Shizu-chan?"

This caused Shizuo to tensely pause. "What the fuck is it flea?" his jaw clenched. "Spit whatever shit you want to say out NOW"

"No need to be so angry Shizu-chan! I was only going to suggest that we do something romantic together. Something to celebrate the fact that a protozoan like you got a love note at all, even if it was a fabricated one from me. For instance, I know the perfect rooftop where we can watch the sunset together"

At hearing these words, Shizuo's eyes turned into slits; he roared and lunged at Izaya.

But Izaya had already spun out of reach and had started to head down a side street.

"It's this way Shizu-chan!" he purred "Come on, we can gaze into each other's eyes and declare our undying love!" he deliberately echoed.

Shaking with fury, the blonde beast of Ikkebukuro growled and resumed pursuing his nemesis.

* * *

Half an hour later, Izaya was still being chased by Shizuo.

It had been a deliberate move, even if Shizuo had almost managed to corner him once or twice; he had outsmarted the dumb protozoan at every turn. Now that he had sufficiently tired him out (even if he himself was barely keeping ahead in their chase); he could lead Shizu-chan to the one place that he had wanted to from the start.

Approaching a tall apartment building; Izaya sprinted up the steps with the last of his strength. Aware that Shizuo was right behind him, Izaya wasted no time in making his way to the buildings elevator.

Quickly pressing the UP button, he twirled around just in time to see Shizuo's flustered expression as he darted towards the moving lift.

Seeing that his enemy had failed to catch the edge, Izaya relaxed and weakly chuckled as the elevator door clicked shut with a final _ping!_

Leaning against one of the walls, Izaya allowed himself to be lost in his thoughts for a moment.

_Heh I tricked him! Dumb Shizu-chan, the best thing about this is that he won't give up! Knowing him he'll take the stairs, just for a chance at pummeling me. Plus, his protozoan mind will never even comprehend the idea to call for the lift at a higher floor! This is perfect! Absolutely perfect!_

Sensing that the lift was about to reach its destination, namely the top floor. Izaya steeled his mind as he waited.

Stepping out as the lift slid open; he started toward the entrance to the roof.

Arriving to his goal, Izaya got out his switchblade and lazily flicked it open. Using an old trick; he easily picked the lock of the ancient and rusted door before him.

Pushing it open, Izaya found himself blinking into bright albeit deeply orange sunlight. Ambling out into the fresh air of the roof; he made his way to the very edge of it.

Sitting and dangling his legs over the precarious drop, Izaya looked out at Ikkebukuro; marvelling at both the beauty of the setting sun and the wide horizon of skyscrapers.

_It's so beautiful, all of this built by… I love humans! And to think, the monster that I hate… Shizu-chan will soon be here to enjoy it with me!_

"Flea… Finally…"

Noting the out of breath voice; Izaya stood, turned and gave Shizuo his best smirk.

"Nice to see you here at last Shizu-chan. I was almost afraid that you hadn't made it!" Izaya teased. "It's beautiful isn't it?"

"Yeah… pity it will be the last one that you will ever see" Shizuo said huskily.

Still gathering his breath; Shizuo gave Izaya a clearly angry but flushed glare.

Taken aback for a moment, Izaya blinked; Shizuo looked _Gorgeous_ in the dying sunlight.

_I guess Shizuo is sort-of attractive; even to me._ He grudgingly admitted to himself.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, Izaya changed his smirk into a slasher smile.

"Better hurry with the killing Shizuo, I might just fall and spare you the satisfaction and struggle of it" he comically spread out his arms and pretended to lose his balance

"Yeah right, Flea" Shizuo started to stalk towards Izaya.

Then Izaya slipped.

* * *

Barely clinging to the side of the roof, Izaya looked down.

_Humans look like cute little ants from here!_

Then reality struck him; immediately changing the direction of his eyes. He looked right up into the glowing golden orbs of Shizuo Heiwaijima.

"Heh, Shizuo isn't this great? It's what you've always wanted. Probably not in these circumstances but you're in a place where you can kill me and get away with it"

"Yup, I could just undo your hand and let you fall to your death"

Mimicking his words, he inched one of his own hands towards Izaya's and clasped it firmly.

Shutting his eyes and expecting to fall at any moment; Izaya was instead surprised to find himself being hauled up.

"The thing is Flea… I would rather kill you with my own two hands" Shizuo stated as he helped him.

"I doubt that's the full reason Shizu-chan" Izaya hesitantly replied as he attempted to right himself on the side of the building.

Shizuo sighed silently; he leant forward to offer Izaya his other hand.

Closing in on Shizuo's level, Izaya suddenly found himself being forced back dangerously.

"Shizu … Shizu-chan you're leaning too far forward! Lean back, now"

But it was already too late; Shizuo had miscalculated and had put far too much weight onto his front as he his mind had been focused on handling Izaya.

Panicking, Izaya caught the edge of the roof just as Shizuo toppled off of it.

"Dumb Protozoan!" Izaya hollered; then he swallowed and spoke sombrely. "Shizu-, Shizuo … you're too heavy. I can't hold on for much longer, I have to let go of you or both of us will fall"

"I always knew that you would kill me someday Flea. Never figured that it would be like this though…" Shizuo said thoughtfully "Heck, maybe I can survive it…"

Seeing what Shizuo was about to do and that his own grip had started to waver; Izaya choked, more out of desperation than anything.

"Wait Shizuo!" he blurted.

"For what flea?"

"Maybe I can… no… but I'm scared of dying!" Izaya stammered until he finally managed a few weak words. "Don't! Without you…"

Izaya's head spun, his arm was screaming and his Shizu-chan was about to-

"Too late… Goodbye Izaya"

Shizuo gave him a small smile.

Then he let go of his hand.

* * *

Without any hesitance, Izaya pulled himself back onto the roof.

Evening his breath and attempting to unscramble his twisting thoughts. Izaya barely heard a distant _thump!_ Followed by several incredibly loud cracks and faraway screams.

The sounds sent a slight jolt up his spine and he snapped his head back to the place where Shizuo had fallen.

Izaya blinked for a few moments; before he swept around, shook his head dismissively and left.

* * *

The trip down in the elevator was quiet; Izaya spent it hunched in a corner, hands firmly tucked into his pockets.

He kept a blank face on as the door opened; but inwardly his mind was reeling.

_I should be happy that Shizu-chan is badly injured or dead… No! Shizu-chan has to be alive… he has superhuman strength for God's sake! And a fall should be nothing for a monster of his stature, but…_

Leaving the apartment building; Izaya swept his gaze around the chaotic street until he spotted Shizuo.

Someone must have called the police; because the blonde was lying limply on a stretcher as a group of paramedics took him into an ambulance.

As the ambulance sped off, Izaya stilled and looked away; shuddering when he realized that he was staring at the place where Shizuo had landed.

There was a lot of blood and a fair amount of large cracks in the pavement.

Then Izaya noticed that people were weeping and consoling one another around him.

"That poor young man…"

"Such a tragedy"

_People… my humans are crying over Shizu-chan? A monster?!_

Izaya began to laugh; he laughed until his chest ached and his eyes watered.

Several people stared at him in both horror and alarm.

Then Izaya stopped; he smiled and began humming a tune.

Ignoring everyone, the brunette headed home.

No one noticed the slight rigidness in his step.

* * *

The next day, while Izaya was at school; the news came in.

When he was first told; he thought that it was a lie.

It turned out that the momentum and impact of the fall had been enough; Shizuo had died from a broken neck, despite all the doctor's efforts and Shizuo's own resilience.

* * *

After, Shinra refused to speak to him and outrightly ignored him.

Izaya pretended not to care.

* * *

" _You pushed Shizuo, didn't you? I mean, everyone knows that you were there with him… and you did hate him…"_

* * *

Eventually, the police questioned him.

They thought that Shizuo had jumped and that since he was the last person to have spoken to him, to have seen him alive; he must know something.

Izaya encouraged it as the truth and gave them a performance. He made himself out as the grieving friend; the person who had tried to talk him out of it.

He even cried. Fake tears all the way.

They swallowed his lies whole.

* * *

- _This is the voicemail of Shinra Kishitani; I'm probably busy at the moment, so if you would like to leave a message then please do so after the wait-_

Izaya snapped his phone shut.

* * *

Shizuo was smiling; or at least the photograph of him was.

Surrounded by white flowers, it didn't look out of place on the casket.

_It was probably taken when he was younger; before I came to Ikkebukuro…_ mused Izaya _his hair isn't even dyed and he look's barely fifteen._

He had crept into the back of the funeral. Not attending it out of respect or sadness; but mere curiosity, to see just how much the world would mourn a monster.

During the service, Izaya noticed that an oddly emotionless boy a year or so younger than him kept giving him long looks.

_Shizu-chans brother… the brother of the monster._

The funeral soon finished and everyone sidled out.

Izaya left last.

* * *

" _I'm here to say goodbye, at least for a while. I'm leaving Ikkebukuro to study humanity and learn all I can about them and the world! But I'm mainly leaving because everything… is just so boring…_

… _without you Shizu-chan"._

* * *

One day, even if he did not know it; the brunette would see the blonde again…

Alive and angry.


	2. II

* * *

7 years later.

The tombstone read: SHIZUO HEIWAIJIMA 1986-2003, MAY HE REST IN ETERNAL PEACE.

Izaya wiped the dust from it with the sleeve of his jacket; before he set down a bunch of bright yellow tulips on the slight mound in front of the headstone.

"Hello Shizu-chan!" he cheerfully exclaimed "Just visiting to pay my respects and to bring you your weekly flowers!"

Izaya rubbed the bandage around his left arm and knelt by the grave. "This week Shinra treated me for a bullet graze that I got while dealing with an aggressive Yakuza member. It's funny because if it wasn't for Celty, he wouldn't have nursed me… Oh and your brother is in a movie with that singer you always liked!" he babbled to the unmoving earth "My secretary-Namie- is as entertaining as ever! Just the other day I found her eavesdropping on a conversation her brother was having with his girlfriend. You should have seen the look on her face when I stole her phone and used it to butt into the exchange! She-"

Just at that moment, Izaya's own phone started to ring; interrupting his soliloquy.

Izaya made a face and stood up. Mumbling an apology to the headstone; he turned away and answered his phone with a solitary flick.

"Izaya Orihara speaking"

" _Where are you? Celty's worried; apparently you had a delivery for her today"_ the tone of the caller was clipped.

"Hello to you too Shinra" Izaya replied lazily.

" _Izaya!"_

"It's Sunday Shinra; you should know where I am" He momentarily paused; then continued on before the other could say a single word. "As for a delivery-any delivery -, I am not aware that I asked Celty to make one." Izaya crinkled his brow in mock thought; even if he was aware that Shinra couldn't witness the action. "Nope! I'm searching my mind and all I'm coming up with are blanks… maybe she's the one who's mistaken".

" _Really Izaya, you shouldn't waste…"_ Shinra went silent; Izaya imagined him sighing and scoffing on the other end.

" _You know what! I really can't deal with this now. Go and do something productive and leave me alone."_ The line went dead as Shinra hung up.

Momentarily taken aback by the outburst; Izaya started at his phone's screen for a moment before he snickered and put it away.

Giving a final –but not in any way lingering- look at Shizuo's grave; Izaya put his hands in his pockets and started to walk away.

He had better things to do anyways… it was just a waste of time talking to someone who was dead and buried.

Even if-

_I miss you Shizu-chan…_

* * *

Meanwhile; in another, more familiar Ikkebukuro…

"COME BACK HERE!" yelled -a very much alive and increasingly frustrated- Shizuo Heiwaijima.

As angry as Shizuo sounded; he was not chasing the infamous informant of Shinjuku. No, He was just doing his job as a debt collector's bodyguard in his own ferocious way and was having a crappy afternoon because of it.

Tearing a nearby lamppost from its confinements; Shizuo threw it in such a way, that it knocked down and trapped the obese man he had been pursuing.

He ambled towards the weakly writhing form until he was coldly glaring down into its piggy eyes.

Shizuo raised his foot.

The monsters prey gave up its futile struggle and fainted in terror.

* * *

Shizuo put down his foot and spat on the ground next to the immobile man.

"Good riddance; offering, your wife like that…" Shizuo growled as he took out and lit a cigarette to calm himself.

Behind him; Tom sighed. "I'd better call the hospital… this is the fourth one so far".

Shizuo grunted an unintelligible reply and took a long puff.

A few minutes later; both bodyguard and debt collector where heading towards their next and hopefully last client of the day.

Tom broke the ice.

"It's been a long day Shizuo" he said comfortingly.

"Yeah… I'm sorry Tom" Shizuo answered tersely. "It's just that, lately the flea has been annoying me more than usual." He tensed. "The little bastard has been targeting my love life. The last few times that we've crossed each other, he starts trying to kiss me or flirt with me and somehow he's found a way to flood my email with sappy love letters. It reminds me of something similar that he tried to pull in high school; usually I wouldn't let it get to me but you know…"

"It's okay Shizuo. Someday you'll find someone who'll appreciate you for who you really are; Flaws and all" Tom gave him a friendly smile. "Ah were here!" he suddenly added.

They stopped in front of a grubby apartment building with a peeling door.

"Don't worry Shizuo; the guy we have to collect from is some deadbeat kid. It won't take long to get the payment and you can head home"

Shizuo merely huffed and stubbed out his cigarette at the assurance.

They headed into the building.

Unfortunately; in contrary to Tom's words, it was taking a long time.

* * *

The client turned out to be some sniveling science weirdo who kept on pushing his glasses up his nose since they were too big for him.

Apparently, He had spent his rather large loan on "research" for a "technological breakthrough" and instead of getting around to _how_ he was going to pay up; he went on and on about parallel universes and how it was going to make him wealthy.

Despite trying to keep his calm; the dumb idiot was starting to piss Shizuo off. Even more than the fat slob he had had to deal with earlier.

_Fuck it; the jerk was dithering now._

"If you came back in about a week I could-"

"We need the money now or at least a starting payment" Tom stated firmly.

"Um… my machine will be a breakthrough in science; I could pay you back ten times! Please".

Tom shook his head and pinched his brow as the ceaseless talking continued. It was obvious that he was deeply tired.

This was the last straw for Shizuo; he got up and reached for the nearest object.

Then he was suddenly surprised as the idiot swept past him and unfurled a curtain which had taken up a half of the entire apartment. It unveiled a mass of wires around a large metallic object and a wall covered in diagrams and calculations that made Shizuo's head hurt if he tried to decipher them.

"This is my prototype! I haven't tried it yet; I've spent all my money on it" wheezed the unfortunate genius. "I tried asking for a university loan; but nobody wanted to support it. So that's why I went to a-your- agency". As he finished blathering; he flicked something on that caused the entire _thing_ in front of Shizuo to roar into life.

* * *

It was enough to hold Shizuo's attention for a single moment.

If Tom had spoken to him at that precise time; he would have managed to calm him down enough to leave the apartment… and the following events wouldn't have even taken shape.

But fate wasn't so kind; the geeky dropout opened his mouth and said something that caused Shizuo's (barely in check) rage to turn white-hot and flare up.

* * *

"I'm just turning in on to show that it works. I've almost perfected it. Just imagine anything! Parallels are limitless; there could be a world where our own lives could have taken a completely different turn and we might not even be living in Ikkebukuro! Worlds where we might not even exist! "The man stuttered and adjusted his glasses. "Of course it might not work; it's all just a theory anyway. But I've done all the working out, so it should… I'm gonna make so much money from this!" he finished excitedly.

_The guy's at the top of a fucking mound of debt AND he's boasting about it; all over some stupid machine that probably doesn't even work…_

Shizuo snapped.

In one swift motion he caught the shirt of the hapless geek and hauled him into the air until his face was inches from Shizuo's own.

"You used ALL your money; which you could have used to actually make something of your fucking life, to create something that MIGHT work" Shizuo tightened his grip and angled one of his hands into a fist. "You've defaulted on your debt… you need to pay up somehow, right?"

Just as he was about to punch the living daylights out of the pathetic moron; Shizuo caught a glimpse of Tom's face. He was cradling his face with one hand and he had a _disappointed_ expression on.

Swearing, Shizuo took a deep breath and managed to fling the idiot he was holding aside. But still needing to let off some anger; he settled for ramming his fist into the buzzing object which had caused him so much annoyance in the first place.

Something within the mass of cables and metal cracked; there was a loud BANG!

Shizuo's vision was overcome by a sudden bright white light; he had a brief sensation of being tugged-no pulled- somewhere.

_Shit_ he thought.

Then he lost consciousness.

* * *

Shizuo woke up in a dark and dusty but vaguely familiar room. Blinking, he hurriedly got up and wiped all the dust off himself; he then surveyed his surroundings.

_What the fuck… this is the room where that machine was! All the walls are the same… there just empty._

Scowling and cursing his luck; Shizuo started to make his way around in the darkness until he found the door.

Opening it; he found that the outer hallway was also dark and musty.

_Something is going on here… where the hell is tom, or that dumb bastard we were collecting from?_

* * *

After he made his way around a notice declaring that the building he had been in was a safety hazard; Shizuo found himself out in the street.

Everything was normal; except for one thing.

_No one is giving me looks… usually a few people always stare at me, because they know I can snap their necks in a split second. Everyone is just ignoring me… as if I'm…_

Bewildered, Shizuo took off his sunglasses and halted a passing woman.

"Excuse me… but do you know who I am?" he gingerly asked.

All she did was shake her head at him and give him an odd look before continuing on her way.

Shizuo slid his glasses back on and frowned. Puzzled, he checked his watch; only a few minutes had passed from when he had last seen Tom.

_This is weird… I need to ask someone who will definitely know where Tom is… Wait! Kadota and his group usually hang around the main square in their van at this time, I'll ask them!_

* * *

Erika Karisawa was having a bad day. Firstly her boyfriend was ill; this was bad because the new volume of Black Butler had just come out and she had no-one to discover it with, Walker (her boyfriend) was the only one in her group of friends who liked anime and manga as much as she did. Secondly, she was all alone because Saburo and Kadota had left her to guard the van while they –apparently quickly, though more than half an hour had already passed- did an errand. Thirdly and lastly, she was _bored_ out of her mind.

_You can only watch so much anime by yourself before you go psycho_ she lonely reflected.

Luckily, her boredom came to an end when a tall blond man wearing a _cool_ pair of violet shades _and_ dressed as a bartender appeared before her.

"Hey Erika! Where's Kadota?" he asked; somewhat wistfully.

_Heck yes! This guy's a gift from heaven, come to rescue me from my monotony! But…_

"How do you know my name?" she replied.

The man shook his head and rubbed his face. "Not you as well…" he mumbled "everyone's forgetting me"

_Is this guy mental or something?_ Erika inwardly wondered.

"I've never met you-or seen you- in my entire life, until now at least" she slowly said. "Do you need help?"

The man gave her a dry chuckle. "Nah, I'm just trying to figure out what the fuck is going on… maybe it's the fucking fleas fault" a look of intense hatred overcame him.

"Flea?"

"You know who I mean" he sighed. "Izaya Orihara; probably the most fucked up and annoying person in the entire world. I usually try to kick his ass… Wait! Do you know HIM? Does he exist?" his voice had cracked with a slight strain.

In the deep recesses of Erika's mind; something began to _form… an idea…_

Keeping her voice neutral; she spoke. "Yeah the information broker from Shinjuku. Who doesn't know him, he knows everything about everyone"

"Hmmm… then I'd better pay him a visit and beat some information out of him" The man grinned wickedly. "Thanks!" he also mumbled something under his breath (which Erika caught). " _I'd better teach the flea a fucking lesson… he's been messing with everyone again…"_

The man began to walk away.

Sensing a lost opportunity; Erika called out. "Wait! What's your name?"

"Shizuo Hewaijima" he yelled back.

As soon as Shizuo's back was turned. Erika got out her phone; with the intention of texting Walker.

_Who would top… and the name… Shizuo and Izaya… Shaya? Izuo? No! SHIZAYA!_

A voice disturbed her typing and her thoughts.

"Erika, who was that?" she looked up and met the stricken eyes of Kyohei Kadota.

"He said his name was Shizuo Hewaijima. He wanted to know where Izaya lived so he could kick his ass" she intoned; before going back to her _important_ task.

_Saburo and Kadota are back… but that doesn't matter! I've got something to spread around…_

She barely registered what Kadota said next as her thoughts grew hot.

"But … Shit! I need to call Shinra"

* * *

" _Kadota… you sound out of breath. What is it?"_

" _Shinra, I'm sorry… Get Celty and get over to Izaya's now! Somehow Shizuo…"_

" _What, Shizuo?"_

" _He's back… somehow; and he's gone over to Izaya's"_

" _Is this a joke Kadota? If it is I'm not finding it very funny…"_

" _Shinra, I'm being SERIOUS. Hurry and get Celty. NOW."_

" _Sheesh, no need to yell. Fine I'll –we'll- go. I'd better get something to calm Shizuo down. Since this apparently isn't a joke… and knowing Shizuo's temper… hmmm."_

* * *

Izaya sighed; it had been a bad decision to visit Shizuo's grave earlier that day.

He couldn't get him out of his head. Whenever he tried to do work; the blonde would appear before him and smile at him in the same way that he had before he had died. It reminded Izaya, that he…

Izaya shuddered and went back to his paperwork. Yet, as much as he tried to concentrate; his thoughts kept on… wandering.

_I have no regrets... it's not as if the blonde will spontaneously return to life_ he sarcastically thought. _Maybe I should just annoy Namie…that always works..._

A loud noise shook his office as the door was shoved open and ripped off its hinges by a large figure.

Izaya looked up and flinched.

_My doors still in place, It's only a hallucination after all… strange… this time he's seems older and he's wearing a bartender's uniform._

A furious and shaking Shizuo Hewaijima stood in his doorway; clutching the door as if it was a shield.

"What the fuck did you do Izaya?" he bellowed.

"Ah Shizu-chan! Still as beastly as always! Even when you're haunting me" Izaya calmly replied; looking back down as he did so and rustling through the papers on his desk in mock interest.

The monstrous hallucination roared and threw the door at him.

Stunned, Izaya barely managed to dodge the door by throwing himself aside as it slammed into his desk.

Looking over the splintered wood; He locked gazes with the equally surprised "hallucination".

_How... He's real and he's alive…_

"Shizuo… " he breathed "You're dead, you can't be alive… it's been seven years".

* * *

 


	3. Chapter 3-III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am really really sorry for not updating in almost four months.
> 
> I was INCREDIBLY busy with school and preparing for my midterms.
> 
> I also had problems with the plot for this fic, I had a good amount of it planned and then several plot points started to contradict one another and …. Ugh it is something I DO NOT want to repeat again. Ever.
> 
> I don't know when I'll be able to update, but even so, please check out my other Shizaya fic which I'll probably be updating sooner than later (even if it is mere wish fulfilment).

* * *

He was fucking confused, at both the flea's stark look of utter disbelief and at his nonsense utterance about his "death seven years ago".

Shaking his head and banishing his wandering thoughts, Shizuo snapped his gaze back to Izaya and almost roared. "What the fuck flea? you did something to everyone that makes them fucking forget that I've ever existed, and now you're claiming that I "died" seven years ago" he tensed and advanced. "This must be your sickest joke yet… and after targeting my love life … You'd better fix everything soon or I'm going to snap you in half and throw you out the window".

For a moment Izaya still seemed stunned, and then he suddenly flinched and flashed Shizuo his trademark smirk. "This isn't real; I must have finally gone mad. You **ARE** a hallucination of course, since you can't be anything else, and the door… the door… Wait! This must all be a trick by Namie to get back at me for stealing her phone and butting into her brother's conversation". He babbled desperately, as if he was trying to convince himself of some unreachable truth.

"Yes! She must have somehow weakened the door when I went to visit your grave this morning and when I came back… She opened the door for me! That little detail proves me right! Then, when I walked in she gave me my afternoon cup of coffee while glaring at me and then left early, saying "she needed to sort something out with her brother and that it was my entire fault". Her final plan must have been to add a powerful hallucinogen into my coffee, have me drink it, and then retreat to a safe distance to laugh at me and escape my wrath". Izaya said brazenly; but his voice was slightly shaky and his smile seemed fake and somewhat _off._

Izaya's frantic rambling had caused Shizuo to freeze and stare at him, his mind scrambling to process the meaning and motive behind his words.

_What the hell? Izaya has to be joking, I should be tearing him apart for this, for everything… and yet he seems to genuinely think... that I am dead._ Shizuo tensed, his brain had started to hurt from the intense thinking and this had made his already furious anger to deepen and grow. _Fuck the shitty louse, I can't take this! I'll show him that I'm not a freaking "hallucination"_.

Cracking his Knuckles, he advanced towards the ever leering Izaya and swiftly pinned him to the wall.

The fleas smirk faded and his smug demeanour wavered, it was replaced by one of reminiscent puzzlement and vague … _hope?_

"Shizu -ch … no, Shizuo please w-wait; Let me m-make sure that-t" Izaya actually stuttered as he freed a hand, and gently felt along Shizuo's arm.

Managing to resist tightening his grip; Shizuo's eyes widened as any traces of Izaya's usual egotistical self vanished from him. Izaya blinked several times, before his eyes shone with something indescribable and he slacked in his hold.

Then he strongly exhaled and began to speak surprisingly calmly, as if he wasn't worried that Shizuo could crush his windpipe if he applied a little more pressure to his neck.

"You're real, actual flesh and blood real. But if you're not back from the dead… then you're-"

The flea was interrupted by a loud crash and a sudden _whoosh!_ from behind them.

Not dropping his prey, Shizuo turned his head around and met the startled and confounded gazes of two of his dearest friends.

He only caught sight of them for a split second, before several things happened very quickly.

Firstly, he felt himself be knocked away from Izaya by a thick and severely familiar shadowy fog, which held him place as he instinctively began to struggle. This was followed by a blur of movement and the sensation of something sharp being plunged into his right side.

Even if he was almost free of the engulfing shadows, Shizuo's view began to slip and blacken at the edges.

_Fuck! I can't be falling unconscious for the second time in so many hours;_ his mind grew sluggish and finally dimmed as his thoughts pooled together.

He managed to turn his head and meet the worried- no uncaring- eyes of Izaya Orihara.

He swore that they had been…

Shizuo blanked out.

* * *

" _Shinra! Why are you here? I could have dealt with "it" all on my own, I was having fun!"_

" _Izaya wh-, Kadota called me. Apparently, Shizuo had somehow come back to life and he was on his way to kill you, I guess he was correct"._

" _Oh? And that gives you the right to barge into my home and-"_

" _IZAYA!, Not now, please, can we just get…this Shizuo back to my apartment, where we can deal with him more firmly. Celty is exhausted from using her shadows and the tranquilizer I injected him with will only last a few hours if we're lucky. I wouldn't have even come here if it wasn't for Celty being worried over… over you"._

" _How touching… wait! You said "we", why do I have deal with "it"?"_

"…"

" _Shinra, why are you raising your fist? You can't be that emotional over-"_

* * *

Shizuo groggily shook himself awake. A few moments of dazed silence passed before he could grasp where he was and what had led him there.

_Shinra and Celty attacked me… why? This is all Izaya's fault; I should have killed him when I had the chance... even if…_ he thought as he noted his bindings, which were a set of heavy albeit steady chains and two pairs of small plastic handcuffs, both which attached him to a nearby stand off the bed he was lying on.

_Where did Shinra get these stupid things, Fuck! They can't be-_ Shizuo mentally growled as he prepared to break free.

He abruptly stopped when a nearby door burst open and Celty timidly entered the room.

"C-Celty…" he stuttered, before being interrupted by a small bright screen bearing a lot of frantic writing being shoved into his face.

[ **ARE YOU AN ALIEN?! DID THEY SEND YOU? WERE YOU CAPTURED AND BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE BY THEM? YOU WERE DEAD FOR SEVEN YEARS AND YOU STILL SHOULD BE!?...]**. The rest of it dissolved into a scramble of exclamation and questions marks which Shizuo was too tired to even begin to read; instead he shut his eyes and sighed.

"Celty I am completely and utterly human, nothing alien comes into it. Please calm down and free me before I go into a rampage and tear your apartment apart. I am already pissed off enough by whatever Izaya has done that has made everyone think that I am dead, and have been for the past seven years". Shizuo said, barely keeping his tone controlled.

Celty calmed down surprisingly quickly at his words, then she cocked her shadows in curiosity and typed something new on her PDA, showing it to him when she had finished.

[Everything is confusing today…First of all, please calm down, I believe that you're completely human and that nothing alien has affected you. Secondly, Shizuo… you have been dead for the past seven years... since I went to your funeral, and so did Izaya and Shinra. In fact, I should probably tell them that you've woken up. I'll just undo your handcuffs.] She did so and made for the door.

"Wait! Can I ask you a few questions?" Shizuo called after her.

Celty turned back to him and motioned for him to speak with one of her hands.

"Can you tell me everything that has happened? Even seven years ago; when I supposedly died?" He asked.

Celty nodded and began typing.

[I can't tell you everything, Shinra, but especially Izaya could tell you more than I could. For now, I'll just tell you what I know and then I'll get Shinra, ok?]

"Ok" he replied.

[Seven years ago you fell from a building when you were chasing Izaya; the fall was great enough that you broke your neck and later died in hospital from your wounds. Your death was in the news for several days, it was later declared a suicide and Raira academy put up a plaque for you in remembrance]

"Fuck... tells me what else happened?" Shizuo muttered slowly in shock.

[Shinra refused to acknowledge Izaya at all afterwards and, only recently, have they begun to reconnect. Your brother went on to become a successful actor and singer, and as for your parents… your father has been looking after your mother. She, she took your death hard and became very… unresponsive. Shinra visits them every now and then.] Celty put down her PDA and twiddled her thumbs nervously.

All Shizuo could do was stare at her dumbly with his eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.

Celty touched his arm in concern; he flinched and jerked it off.

"I guess this is… I'm really dead here" Shizuo said grimly "But I am alive and I have a life that I know is mine. I…I graduated from Raira, got a job as a bodyguard, saw all my brothers' movies, and I was still fighting the fl–I mean Izaya- for a long time". Shizuo furrowed his brow in thought for several moments, before he widened his eyes as if suddenly struck with an idea. "I'm from a parallel universe! I must be; except one where I lived instead of dying at the age of seventeen!"

For a moment Shizuo smiled at his deduction, before the present mood caught up to him and he mellowed.

Celty hurriedly typed something on her PDA and flashed it to him.

[How did you get here from your "parallel world"? I'm going to get Shinra, I'll be right back]

He nodded and allowed her to leave.

_How will I return to my own world? I need to find that guy that Tom and I were collecting from… if he even exists here; he's the only one who'll be able to offer me any answers. I have so many questions, what is Ikkebukuro like without me? , Probably more peaceful for one. As for this Izaya…_ Shizuo quizzed himself.

He heard a faraway commotion which snapped him back to reality. Several Voices shouted in unison, before there was the sound of someone running down Shinra's hall.

Izaya – not the one he knew, Shizuo had to remind himself- leapt into the room and turned to him with a large grin.

"Shizu-chan is back! and from a parallel universe I hear; one where, judging from what Celty has just relayed, we are still enemies who chase one another in hateful bliss, to think that I have missed so much just because of one tiny little difference in our respective worlds". Izaya said with over the top cheerfulness.

"Fuck off Flea; even if I am not the Shizuo you probably murdered in this Ikkebukuro, I can still kill you with my bare hands. I probably should… since I would be avenging myself and sparing this place your diseased mind" Shizuo spat out at Izaya, his anger rising with each syllable. As he finished, He swore that Izaya's smile froze slightly at his words, but he dismissed the thought and glared at him.

All Izaya did was laugh crazily until his chest was shaking with the effort.

"Ahh Shizu-chan, you don't know how I have missed you. The only thing is I didn't mu -"Izaya rasped out amusedly, until he was disturbed by a cough at the door that was unmistakably Shinras.

The man himself entered the room with Celty and gave Izaya a disdainful look; whose facial expression did not falter but instead grew at the sight.

"I was only going to say that I didn't muster up the courage to bother Shizu-chan sooner" Izaya pouted. "Shinra kept me back and said that Celty should be the one to check on you first, and I had to cave in because he threatened me by telling me that the next time I came for a medical, he would cause an "accident that would leave me without a certain organ".

Shinra sighed and pointed out the bedroom door. "Please leave Izaya, I'm going to have a nice long talk with this Shizuo about certain things, and I don't want you to disturb us"

Izaya flailed his arms dramatically at Shinra's request. "Really Shinra, I was just about to leave anyways, I only wanted to get a look at Shizu-chan". He levelled his eyes to Shizuo and deepened his smile into a smirk. "See you later Shizu-chan! Remember this; only take Shinra's words with a grain of salt since I'm the only one present who knows what _explicitly_ happened the day the other Shizuo died". He then bowed and sprinted out of the room, and the apartment.

Shinra groaned and pinched his nose as he sat down in a nearby chair.

"Thank goodness". He whispered to himself, before he perked slightly and smiled tiredly. "I guess we can finally start talking! Firstly, I'm sorry that you had to deal with Izaya like that and –"

"Shinra…" Shizuo growled.

"Are you okay? Do you need time to adjust-"

"SHINRA!"

"Tell me what's wrong?!"

"PLEASE UNTIE ME BEFORE I FUCKING BREAK THESE DAMN CHAINS"

* * *

The sun had just finished setting, and with this the entire expanse of Ikkebukuro turned into its night-time of bright skyscrapers and seamless distraction for thousands.

All except for one.

Having easily gotten through a rusty door, he was perched upon an incredibly high building with a wide view of everything Ikkebukuro had to offer.

He ignored the cold and all he did was stare out into nothingness, barely noting the drop in front of him.

* * *

_Shizu-chan… Shizuo… why are you back..._

* * *

 


End file.
